Let Me Love You (6 page)

“I will leave you to your studio
.” He kisses my cheek. ”Welcome to Exposure, Natalia.” Sam leaves the studio. I wonder around my studio, getting familiar with all the equipment. The hair and make-up stations are all neat and tidy, all the costumes are hanging perfectly. Just the way I like things. My studio phone rings and I walk over to my desk and answer, “Hello?”

“Tally
, it’s Bella. Your ten o’clock is here. Shall I send them up to your studio?”

“Um
, I have a booking this morning? I didn’t know.” There a small pause from Belle.

“Tally on the desk next to the phone you will find a clipboard with a lis
t of you clients for the week, okay?” Panic starts to rise in my head. “I will send your clients up to you now.” With that, Bella hangs up. I look around my studio. I can feel the color creep over my body. I hear shouting children running in the hallway. God help me!

My first we
ek goes pretty fast. Sam was right, lots of screaming children and very bitchy moms, but it wasn’t just one day, it was a whole week of it. Every night I went home with a headache and every night I would just jump straight into bed. It’s Friday. I’m cleaning my desk and I glance at the clock. It’s six fifteen. Carlos comes into my studio. “Hey Tally, how’s today been? Any better?” I raise an eyebrow at him.

“It’s been
crazy. I don’t think I have stopped all week, let alone all day. Is every week like this?” I have a pleading look on my face now. Carlos smiles at me, put his arm around my shoulder, and pulls me out of my studio.

“Let’s ge
t you a strong drink, shall we?” We meet Sam and Tanner, who are at the bottom of the stairs discussing a photo shoot that is coming up.

“Hey Tally
, you had a fun week?” Tanner asks. I smile.

“I need a drink, who is buying?” The three
hot men all smile and laugh as we exit the studio. We are sitting in a bar with most of the Exposure’s staff. Everyone is enjoying the night, chatting about their week about any awkward clients. Sam buys everyone tequila shots as a celebration of my first week as a full time Exposure employee. We all down our shots, lick our salt, suck our limes, and demand more. Bella and I are dancing with each other. I know we are really going to get along just fine. Cassidy will love her. I feel my head spin slightly and I know that’s my cue to stop drinking. I head to the bar and ask for a bottle of water. I turn towards the dance floor and see Bella dancing, when Tanner comes up behind her and starts grinding into her. She is enjoying it, by the look on her face. Their dancing is sexy and everyone is enjoying the show, not looking surprised by their intimate dancing. I didn’t realize they were a couple, but then again maybe they aren’t. Carlos stands next to me by the bar and leans back on his elbow on the bar. “Tanner has had a thing for Bella for some time now. It’s nice to finally see him make a move” I smile.

“They look like they need to go home and get rid o
f some of that bottled up sexual frustration.” We burst out laughing and Carlos goes to speak, but stops and looks behind me.

“They won’t be the only ones going home for some relieving. Be safe
, Tally.” Carlos kisses me on the cheek, winks at me, and walks away.

I continue to look
at Carlos in a confused manner. What did he mean by that? My body stiffens as I can smell him, then I can feel him. Wilde presses his body flush against mine, my back to his hard front. He places his arm around my waist and holds me there. “God, you smell good.” I stand there, unable to move. James slides my hair to one side and lightly kisses my neck “I have thought of nothing else since our kiss. I want to kiss you more Tally. I can’t seem to think of anything or anyone else but you.” His grip tightens and my body burns with desire. I turn in his arms to face him, his grip not letting go.

“Why James
? I don’t get why you like me. Why do you want to kiss me?” He looks into my eyes. The alcohol is making me more confident.

“Why not?
God you are so sexy. You have the softest lips I have ever kissed, and I want to kiss them again, and again.” He stops, closes his eyes, and when he opens them, I can see that he means what he is saying to me. “I want to kiss every inch of your body Tally, please let me. I won’t hurt you.” That threw me. What did he the hell did he mean he won’t hurt me?

I pull out of his hold
. “What the fuck do you mean you won’t hurt me? Have you been talking to Scarlett again?” James looks just as shocked and confused as me.

“Look Tally
, I haven’t spoken to your sister it’s just … the way you reacted when I kissed you the other night, it looked to me that you have had your heart broken before.”  I’m looking at Wilde and softening towards him when my phone rings. I answer without looking at who it is. I keep my eyes locked on Wilde, he staring right back at me.

       
“Hello?” My stomach falls when I hear sobbing on the other end. It’s Josh. “It’s Cassidy, oh my God Tally! Cass and I were in an accident tonight. She is at the hospital. I didn’t see it until it hit us.” The color drained from my face, my legs went weak, and James holds me close to his chest. He takes the phone from my hand. I heard him speak into my phone.

“Ok
ay, I’ll get her there.” I’m not sure how long I stood there but I was unaware that all my co-workers are now standing around me. James explained to them what has happened. They all hugged me one by one but I couldn’t feel anything. I’m completely numb. The next thing I know, I’m sitting in James’s car and he has his hand on mine, squeezing lightly. The drive took forever, James weaving through traffic to get me to the hospital as quick as possible. We arrive at ER and James talks to a nurse at the nurses’ station. He pulls me in close and holds me tight, for which I’m grateful, and we walk into the elevator. I look up at James. His eyes are so soft, the way he is looking at me. He runs his thumb over my cheek. “What floor are we going to?” I ask.

“Sixth floor.
Cassidy is in the OR already baby. We will know more when we get up there, okay?” He runs his fingers over my cheek again, soothing me some.  I have only now noticed that I’m holding James tight against my own body. I think if either of us let go I’m going to crumble to the floor.

The door opens and Jame
s supports me as we walk out. I see Cassidy’s mom, Karen. She is rocking in her chair while Cassidy’s dad tries to comfort her. Josh is pacing the room. There are two police officers talking to a nurse. I walk towards the family and Karen looks up. She comes darting towards me with open arms. James tries to step away but I grab the bottom of his shirt. “Don’t leave me.” James nods his head and stands by my side once again, holding my hand.

“I’m not going anywhere
, baby.” I try to comfort Karen as we both sob on each other shoulders. She finally lets me go and I hug Joe, Cassidy’s dad. All the while I’m still holding James’s hand. Josh can barely keep still. He has a broken arm and a cut on the left side of his chin. I sit down next to Karen and James sits next to me. I look at Josh and he sits opposite us. “What happened, Josh?” He looks racked with guilt.

“We were walking back to my car after we saw a gig in one of the clubs
.” He stops and put his hands on either side of his head. “I didn’t see it Tally, I swear.” I’m confused.

“See what?” James tightens his grip on my hand, sort of
signalling to back off of him and let him speak. Josh continues.

“
A cab lost control, mounted the sidewalk, and hit us. Cassidy was on the outside, so she took the full force of the impact.” I gasp. How could he have stopped this? He couldn’t have.

“Josh
, there was no way in hell that you could stop any of this. You do know that right?” He looks lost, but doesn’t answer me. Time passes slowly as we wait for news on my best friend, my non-biological sister. I pray in my head for her to be alright. I don’t know what I would do if anything was to happen to her. James has finally left my side and has gone to get everyone a coffee. This is the first time he has left me since we got to the hospital, and I’m so grateful that he has stayed. I think I would have fallen to pieces if he wasn’t here with me.

Joe stands and taps Karen on the shoulder as a Dr in blue scrubs walks through the double doors, the same double doors that we have all been staring at the past few hours. They
all stand and walk forward. “Mr. and Mrs. Blake? Hi, I’m Dr. Benson. I operated on Cassidy. She suffered internal bleeding, which we managed to control. Now she did lose a lot of blood, but she should make a full recovery. Everything has been repaired and there shouldn’t be any long term damage. She is still sedated, and will be for up to forty-eight hours. You can go and see her in about thirty minutes after we get settle her into her room.” Joe and Karen hug and get hold of Josh also. I fall against the wall and sink to the floor, my legs just buckling underneath me. The tears start to roll down my cheeks and I can’t stop crying. James arrives back with everyone’s drinks and sees me on the floor.

“Any news?” He l
ifts my chin up to look at him.

“She’s alive, they are ke
eping her sedated for now. She’s alive, James.” He smiles at me and I finally let a smile appear on my face. He places the coffee holder down and sinks to the floor next to me. He places his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in tightly to him, holding me while I sob my heart out again.

Cassidy looks so young in her hospital be
d. Even though she is twenty-four, she looks much younger. She is asleep, but breathing on her own, which is a good thing. She has a few grazes on her face, but nothing major, which I know she will be very happy with, no scarring. Joe, Karen, and Josh sit by her side. “Karen, I will go to Cass’s apartment and get a few things for her, okay? Josh, do you want anything?” He shakes his head. He can’t speak. He just sits there holding Cassidy’s hand. 

Joe stand
s. “Tally, go home sweetie. I will run by Cass’s place and get a few things for her and Josh.” He says, giving Josh a look. “You look shattered and we will need you to cover for us when we need to rest sweetie, okay?” There is no point in arguing with Joe, so I nod in agreement and hug them both. I give my best friend a kiss on her forehead and leave her room. James and I walk to the elevators and a nurse stops him.

“Hi, are you real
ly the James Wilde from that TV show?” James looks at me and back to the nurse.

“No
, sorry you have the wrong guy.” He shrugs and pulls me into the elevator. He still hasn’t let me go.

“Why didn’t you tell her yes? She knew who you were
, James” I’m confused as to why he told her no.

“Now isn’t the time to be having photos with fans or s
igning autographs. I’m here for you, not for me.” Wow, his reply shocks me. I wouldn’t have minded, but I understand now why he told her no. We arrive in the underground parking and I lean against the car, still trying to take it all in. I can’t believe I could have lost my best friend tonight. So much has happened this week and I just want to curl up and sleep for a week. James comes back around to my side of the car and hooks a strand of hair behind my ear. His soft fingers trace my jaw line. My tired body responds to him.

I place my hand over his
. “Thank you for staying with me. I really don’t know if I could have coped without you.” He gives me a sweet shy smile.

“I’m glad that you let me s
tay. I want to be here for you Tally, I do. I really like you and if you give me half a chance to show you how I feel about you, you won’t regret it.” I smile and give him a gentle kiss on the cheek before getting into his car.

The next few days blur into each other
. Mrs. Silver had given me as much time off work as I needed, which is great since Cassidy still remained unconscious. The doctor said they would bring her out of the sedation slowly and she will wake when she is ready. All her scans showed no injury to her brain, which is good. It was my time to sit with my best friend while her parents and Josh took some time away from her bedside. It was hard to get Josh to leave her, but he gave in and went home for some sleep. I came in today on my own. James had a few things to take care of in relation with his TV show. We have been spending most days here together, even though we sit in silence most of the time. I looked through the unit next to Cassidy’s hospital bed for her hair brush. She would not be happy if she woke up and saw the state of her hair. While I gently brush my best friend’s hair, a young nurse comes into her room, looks at her chart, and then up at us. “Are you the girl who visits with that really hot actor?” I stop brushing Cassidy’s hair and look at the nurse. Where is she going with this?

“Which guy?”

“You know, the actor. James Wilde” She keeps looking at me, but I hold her stare. “So is he your boyfriend? Because I haven’t heard anything about him having a girlfriend.” I am shocked that she has even come in here while at work to ask me about a visitor.

“Aren’t you working? I don’t think it’s very professional to come in here and ask about one of your patient’s visitors
.” She blinks at me and a creepy smile spreads across her face.

“Well
, for his sake, I hope that you’re not his girlfriend. He could do so much better.” I blink at her in utter shock that she has just spoken to me like that. Then I notice something off with her nurse’s uniform.